Businessman makes renewed plea for sale of Perth City Hall

Councillors are being urged to consider selling Perth City Hall in order to secure the long-term future of the Edwardian building.

Next month councillors will meet to decide on the merits of two options – a boutique hotel and a market hall proposal – which have been put forward as an alternative to demolition to make way for a city square.

These options are the only ones to progress to being discussed on July 1, as they involve the council leasing the building rather than selling it.

Among the plans to fall by the wayside earlier was a suggestion by Perth businessman and nightclub owner John Bryden, who unveiled a proposal to “put the heart back into building”.

The man behind the Ice Factory, That Bar, the Loft, the Tavern and Roca Blu envisaged the main hall used for events, as it was in the past – everything from concerts to banquets, boxing and fashion shows – while a radical new use of the lesser hall as student accommodation would form the “financial backbone” of his plan.

This idea was discounted because it involved the sale of the buildings but Mr Bryden has written to every councillor asking them to reconsider selling.

“My bid, and two others, were rejected on the grounds that we were interested in buying the building rather than leasing it, since the latter is a much less attractive option from an investor’s point of view,” he told councillors.

“The objective of finding the best use for the building in terms of viability, permanence and community benefit would be served by lifting the lease-only restriction and making a fair comparison of all five of the schemes submitted on January 16.

“In relation to my own scheme, I am still completely committed to the project, which will be fully funded from my own resources and requires no financial assistance from the council or any other body.

“My business plan remains valid and I would be happy to submit it for the consideration of your officials.”

The marketing was demanded by Historic Scotland to ensure that all options had been investigated.